⊹ 𑁍 tea shop.

@ꕤ ⋮ ❛ j. wonwoo｡ jiwon's eyes widen slightly at hearing about the free mochi before she turns away from her papers to focus on wonwoo; her eyes twinkle with nothing but gratefulness for the food as her lips curl into a small smile. "thank you. I'll eat it well." she nods as the smell of the tea permeated the air around her; it /almost/ made her forget she was doing work in the first place. she could only sigh happily at it before her hands reach for the papers once more, shuffling them together. there is still time before she can drink her tea anyway. her gaze meets his as she replies, "ah sure, I'll let you know-" she would've thanked him again, but it seemed that he was supposed to be doing something else when he excused himself quickly. her shoulders shrug lightly, choosing to think nothing weird about it.

...or so she would continue to be doing- after some time had passed, jiwon notices how different he acted around the other customers and how far he was from her table. was something wrong with her? she swears she took the time to wash up well and dress decently. did she say anything weird earlier? her lips are pursed together as she shakes her head, knowing she only said few words at him; her sentences were short yet nice. her brows furrow in thought as she tries to focus on drinking the now-warm tea but it proved to be difficult when the male's chuckles pass through her ears at that moment. perhaps she should continue to observe him secretly and quietly for now while hoping that it was all in her head.

@? ⋮ ❛ p. jiwon｡ through the glass teapot, wonwoo can see the tea leaves swirl and unfold, disturbed by the steady trickle of hot water. steam curls up like fronds of green-stemmed ferns, and soon, the room is filled with a delicate fragrance. a deep breath. momentary sense of peace washing over weary soul. he allows the tea to steep for three minutes — not a second longer or the bitter notes would start to come out, his shifu warned once, during a lazy summer afternoon spent amidst the rustling of bamboo leaves and distant cries of black-napped orioles. the realization comes as somewhat a surprise that he actually misses those days, despite the memory being tinged by a bittersweet hue. and he thinks that maybe, one of these days he would like to pay his old shifu a visit.

as he's submerged ankle-deep in his nostalgia, time trickles by. soon, the blend has taken on an opalescent green color which prompts wonwoo to carefully pour it into a pre-warmed serving cup. the porcelain softly clacks against wooden tray as the male lifts it with an effortless grace, a testament of his two-year experience, while his long strides help bridging the distance towards the customer's table in no time. "one cup of green tea and a plate of sakura mochi. on the house." smiling, wonwoo swiftly sets the dishes on the table. and if his smile somewhat falters at the sight of her strewn work materials— his eyes catching the words 'wedding', 'venue', 'invitations' and his treacherous heart throbs in response — or his movement seems colored with an eagerness to get away quickly, well it's best not to mention it. "if you need anything else, feel free to call me anytime." the 'please don't' naturally goes unsaid, but it's present in the reluctance behind his gaze and wonwoo quickly excuses himself, lest a frown starts to replace his superficial smile.

@ꕤ ⋮ ❛ j. wonwoo｡ [] aaa it's more than okay! I'm fine with it- also, I hope this is alright with you too! > <

it was another weekday for jiwon. despite being used to working in her own home, she still longs for the outside world. being cooped up in her room was unhealthy, as her parents would always remind her. she could imagine her father ushering her out to get some fresh air while her mother would watch the sight in amusement. with that thought in her head, she heads to the local tea shop.

truly, she knows the guy behind the counter. it wasn't their first time meeting, after all. she visits the shop when she requires a small tea break and that his grandmother would tell her every time they would meet on the street; little bits of information about how wonderful her grandson is spilled from the lady's lips. her tiers curl into a smile as she greets him in return, following it up with her usual order. "ah yes, I would like a cup of green tea please." after paying for the drink, she settles herself onto one of the vacant tables. the work papers that her arms carried earlier are already on its surface, waiting to be proofread by her.

@? ⋮ ❛ p. jiwon｡ [ i hope this is ok!! and sorry it's such a long block, i couldnt find a good place to split it. ;; ]

it's her again, wonwoo notes as his gaze naturally gravitates towards the entrance, lulled by the soft tinkling of the bell and the succeeding whiff of salty air which rushes in the moment she pushes the door open. from his spot at the counter, he utters a customary greeting, brims curving up into what he hopes is a polite smile instead of a forced grimace, his sight tethered on her approaching form. he knows her, of course, has seen her around town, kindness spilling out of her in waves as she extends her help to those in need. at times, he'd find her with his own grandma, helping with the groceries or making small talks to keep her company. and he appreciates it, truly— but he'd appreciate it even more if she would just stop bringing her work materials into his shop. not that he especially bans people from doing their work here, of course. it's just— dismayed, his sigh slips out to entwine with the soft tunes playing in the background. through the wide glass window on the opposite wall, he glimpses the sky, an endless stretch of muted blue, and he thinks it would be a waste to let bitter memories consume him on such a nice day. so he tightens the lid on his emotions (as usual), plasters a professional smile on his face (as usual), and resolves to avoid her table at all costs (as usual). "hi, would you like to order?"